Google Pixel 10a Review: Modest Upgrades, Still A Great Value Phone

	Google Pixel 10a - MSRP Starting A $499 The Pixel 10a is Google’s latest mid-range phone. It’s a minor update over last year’s Pixel 9a, and mostly cosmetic, but the phone is still a good value.
	Strong value Brighter display Excellent cameras Satellite connectivity Impressive battery life Faster charging Outstanding software	Very similar to the Pixel 9a Seriously chunky bezels, again No Tensor G5 SoC No Pixelsnap magnets No charger in the box

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As it turns out, the Pixel 10a is a minor update, but the changes are mostly cosmetic. To start, read HotHardware's Pixel 9a review from last year, because in this Pixel 10a review, I plan to focus only on what’s actually changed. I don’t want to rehash existing coverage and will focus on what's new, so let’s dive into the nitty-gritty, shall we? First up a quick video overview...

Pixel 10a Hardware And Design

Put the Pixel 9a and Pixel 10a side-by-side and it is difficult to tell them apart. At first glance, they look nearly identical, with the same matte aluminum frame, slab sides, rounded corners, flat front glass, flat plastic back, and black, pill-shaped, camera window. Even most of the antenna bands are in the same location.

Dimensions are virtually the same too, with the Pixel 10a being a hair shorter and narrower, but also a smidgen thicker than the Pixel 9a (9 vs. 8.9mm). It’s also marginally lighter (183 vs. 186g). Look closer, and you’ll find more differences. That camera cutout is little higher up on the back on the Pixel 10a, for example, and now slightly recessed (it protruded a tiny bit on the Pixel 9a) and flush with the back of the device.
Google also relocated the SIM tray from the bottom edge of the Pixel 9a to the left side. In its place, the Pixel 10a features a second opening for the primary mic that’s identical to the speaker cavity, but symmetrically located on the other side of the USB Type-C (USB 3.2) port. Like the Pixel 9a, the Pixel 10a is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance.

The Pixel 10a comes in more saturated versions of the same colors as the Pixel 9a as well, which are named Obsidian, Fog, Berry, and Lavender (like my review unit). And that’s it for the physical differences between these two phones.

Pixel 10a Specs And Features

Processing & 5G Platform	Google Tensor G4, Exynos Modem 5400
Display	6.3" 1080p OLED, 2424x1080 resolution, 120Hz
Memory	8GB
Storage	128/256GB UFS 3.1
Rear-Facing Cameras	48MP f/1.7 Main OIS, dual-pixel PDAF - 13MP f/2.2 120º Ultra-Wide
Front-Facing Cameras	13MP f/2.2
Video Recording	Up to 4K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 60fps, 1080p slow-mo
Battery	5100 mAh, 30W wired charging, 10W wireless charging
OS	Android 16 With Pixel UI
Dimensions	153.9 x 73 x 9mm
Weight	183 grams
Connectivity	802.11ax Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 6.0+LE, NFC, USB-C 3.2, LTE, 5G (sub-6GHz), Satellite connectivity
Colors	Obsidian, Fog, Berry, Lavender
Pricing	Find the Google Pixel 10a @ Amazon, starting at $499

Pixel 10a Display Quality

Pixel 10a Camera Performance And Image Quality

On the imaging front, the Pixel 10a packs the exact same shooters as the Pixel 9a, with identical specs. These include the same 48MP f/1.7 1/2-inch 0.8-micron main camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, the same 13MP f/2.2 120-degree 1/3.1-inch 1.12-micron ultrawide, and the same 13MP f/2.2 1/3.1-inch 1.12-micron punch-hole front shooter.
The Pixel 10a also inherits all of the Pixel 9a’s camera tricks and shooting modes, like Add Me (which combines two images to include the photographer in a group shot) and Cinematic Pan (which captures ultra-smooth, half-speed, muted video). It also gains a couple of new features that are missing from the Pixel 9a but available across the Pixel 10 lineup.
Auto Best Take builds on Top Shot – an existing feature that picks the perfect moment to take a picture – by capturing the best moment in group photos, and even merges images, if necessary, to make sure everyone looks their best. Camera Coach uses Gemini to help you frame and compose shots by offering step-by-step instructions.
Like its predecessor, the Pixel 10a takes full advantage of Google’s imaging expertise, from HDR+, to Night Sight, to Super Res Zoom. This results in beautiful photos, with plenty of detail, realistic colors, accurate exposure, and decent dynamic range across a wide range of conditions – even when shooting in low light or when zooming up to 4-5x.
Video recording (stabilized, with stereo audio) tops out at 4k 60fps on the main shooter and 4k 30fps on the ultrawide and selfie camera, just like with the Pixel 9a. The resulting videos are fine overall, but are not in the same class as today’s best flagships.

Pixel 10a Reception And Sound Quality

When it comes to connectivity, the Pixel 10a swaps the Pixel 9a’s older Exynos Modem 5300 for Samsung’s newer Exynos Modem 5400, which is more power efficient and enables Satellite SOS. And while the Pixel 10a still lacks mmWave 5G (which really isn’t a big deal), it retains the Pixel 9a’s SIM tray (which is excellent news) alongside eSIM support.
I used the Pixel 10a on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Google Fi in San Francisco, and while roaming in Barcelona, and didn’t have any problems with connectivity. As for audio, the Pixel 10a’s stereo speakers are a step down from the fantastic speakers in the Pixel 10 series, but sound just as loud and clear as the Pixel 9a’s, with the same emphasis on the mid-range. 

Pixel 10a Performance And Battery Life

In the past, Pixel “a” models have always benefited from whatever new SoC Google launched alongside the main Pixel series a few months prior, but that’s not the case with the Pixel 10a. For the first time ever, instead of getting Google’s latest Tensor G5, the Pixel 10a is powered by the same Tensor G4 as the Pixel 9a, which is disappointing.





On the plus side, the Pixel 10a inherits the Pixel 9a’s impressive battery life. That’s no surprise, considering the Pixel 10a boasts a battery with the same 5,100mAh capacity as the Pixel 9a. I’m still running our PCMark Work 3.0 battery test, so stay tuned for the results, but basically, this phone will generally last two days on a full charge with moderate use.

And when it’s time for a refill, the Pixel 10a supports faster charging speeds than the Pixel 9a (30 vs. 23W wired, and 10 vs. 7.5W Qi-compatible wireless). What’s missing from the Pixel 10a is built-in magnets for Google’s Pixelsnap and Apple’s MagSafe accessories, something that’s available on the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup. And that’s a bummer.

Finally, the Pixel 10a gets a minor Bluetooth upgrade (6.0 vs. 5.3) but the rest of the specs match the Pixel 9a’s, including sub-6GHz 5G, 4G LTE, WiFi 6e (802.11ax), NFC, and dual-band A-GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / BeiDou / QZSS / NavIC positioning. You’ll also find the same great haptics on board, and the same optical in-display fingerprint sensor.

Pixel 10a Software, User Experience, And AI

The Pixel 10a runs Google’s flavor of Android 16, which continues to deliver a polished and satisfying user experience. Like its siblings, the Pixel 10a comes with Circle to Search, Gemini Live, Call Assist (including Call Screen, Direct My Call, and Hold For Me), and even Apple AirDrop support, which is a game changer for Android users with a Mac (like me).
I recommend that you read HotHardware's Pixel 10 series review for a deeper dive into Google’s expansive software and AI universe. Note, however, that some features – like Magic Cue and Pixel Screenshots, for example – aren’t available on the Pixel 10a. On the plus side, the Pixel 10a gets seven years of OS upgrades and security updates, like the rest of the family.

Pixel 10a Review Summary

The Pixel 9a was (and still is) an superb mid-range phone that did (and still does) offer great value. As such, the Pixel 10a, which is fundamentally very similar and costs the same at launch ($499), is also an excellent mid-range handset that delivers strong value. The Pixel 10a is a fine smartphone, but I was expecting more.

If the Pixel 10a came with Google’s Tensor G5 chip and Pixelsnap magnets, it would be a slam dunk. But instead, we have a phone that looks and feels mostly the same, but boasts a slightly brighter, more durable screen, a new 5G modem with similar specs, Satellite connectivity, and marginally faster wired and wireless charging.
This makes the Pixel 10a harder to recommend, especially when the Pixel 9a is often available for as low as $349 on Amazon.com. Unless you spend a lot of time in the hinterlands and absolutely need Satellite SOS (which is legit), you could make a case that it's best to save your money, wait for a sale, or go with the cheaper Pixel 9a instead. On the flip side, there are some modest upgrades here that one could argue are worthy of consideration, especially if you're keyed on wireless charging and the Pixel 10a's slightly brighter, more durable display. But again, we just wanted a bit more from the Pixel 10a.